Our approach to prayer is often transactional. We lift a concern in prayer. We wait for an answer, and we test the value of our prayers against the quality of the...

The story of Hannah draws us into a conversation about our dependence upon God and our capacity for trust. Appearing at the beginning of First Samuel, Hannah’s plight is not just...

The story of the poor widow who gives her two small copper coins is familiar to church-going folks. It is more about kingdom living than how to use our money. The...

The “scribes” are scholars of Hebrew law who interpret and instruct religious expectations. They are among the religious leaders with privilege and status, profiled by what they wear (long robes), a...

In youth Bible study at our church, one of the senior boys asked, “If you could only have one kind of grace, which one would you choose?” It was an interesting...

The beginning of Hebrews, chapter 9, describes the first covenant God made with Israel at Sinai, including regulations for worship, the role of the high priests, and rituals of sacrifice. The...

In The Message, Eugene Peterson translates verse two of today’s reading this way: “It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone....

While the book of the Bible is named “Ruth,” the main character in these verses is Naomi, Ruth’s first mother-in-law. Ruth gives birth to Obed, but the community names him and...

Each New Year’s Eve, many people discuss and plan their resolutions. I’ve heard of a twist on this activity, where friends or family gather and each person present writes down a...

Among the Amish, one of the most egregious sins is that of “speaking for God.” We do it so easily, don’t we? In an effort to perpetuate our “rightness” and the...